1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new protective bellows for universal joints, particularly for front wheel drives of motor vehicles and further to a protective element of polymer material for universal joints, transmission side, such as thermoplastic, silicone, etc.
2. Discussion of the Background
The increasingly frequent use of catalytic converters on motor vehicles raises a new problem concerning the behavior at high temperature of a bellows which may be located near by.
The use of materials of the silicone type, for example, makes it possible for the bellows to withstand an increase in temperature due to heat radiation. Nevertheless, these materials with a low modulus of elasticity remain unstable when undergoing centrifugal forces. This involves a new geometry able to to withstand the combined conditions of high temperatures and high rotational speeds.